Link Velocity in SEO: Everything you should know

While building links, the main questions that come to our mind are, "How often should I build links?" Another question is, "If I build tons of backlinks straight away, does it hurt SEO?" This is where this post comes in.

The rate at which you build backlinks for your blog matters a lot in SEO.

Link velocity is important for those bloggers who are very paranoid about their link profile.

What is link velocity?

Link velocity is the rate at which others are linking back to your site.

Put in another way, it is the rate at which your backlink profile is growing over time.

This does not imply that you should maintain higher link velocity to achieve better results in search.Building quality backlinks should be the main priority, not achieving a high link velocity.

However, link velocity is one of the SEO metrics that you should track.

What is the optimal link velocity?

I think you skipped to this section, in order to know the magic number for SEO.

The answer to the above question is, "it depends on".

Let me be clear now.

What if you have tons of backlinks for a brand-new site without a single blog post on it? Doesn’t it smell fishy?
According to Google, "Backlinks should come naturally, along with the content on your site". To be frank, it is something that is not possible.

It is clear that Google expects more backlinks, only if you have more high-quality content.

Below are the graphs that explain you the linking velocity clearly.

A bad link profile velocity

If you got those tons of backlinks in the first month, no backlinks in the second, about 10 backlinks in the third, and finally about 12,000 backlinks in the fourth month. Doesn’t it smell fishy?
The backlinks that are obtained naturally tend to build over time, not overnight.

The irregular spikes in your backlink profile raise a red flag.

A good link profile

I can say that having backlinks proportional to the amount of content that you have on your site or blog is essential.

Content on your site grows like this:
First month – 10 posts, the second month – 12 posts, the third month – 10 posts, the fourth month – 15 posts so on…

Backlinks to your site should grow like this…
First month – 10 backlinks, the second month – 18 backlinks, the third month – 35 backlinks, the fourth month – 70 backlinks so on…

What about viral, news content?

Viral content receives tons of traffic and backlinks only for a short period. Same as in the case of event blog…

Some of the search terms in Google are marked as seasonal or they are marked as viral keywords. Example for seasonal keywords is "Christmas Greetings".
You can use Google Trends to hunt for the keywords that are viral and seasonal.

Google knows that content targeting this sort of content gets tons of backlinks in a short span. The moment, that content stops getting those backlinks, Google declares that the virality is over. The ranking of that content falls down. It's nothing wrong with that.

Nevertheless, that's not the case if you are targeting evergreen keywords, which have evergreen ideal interest.

It's also same for news websites. The moment they cover a news FIRST, their backlink profile spikes. That's normal for all the sites listed in Google News.

Inspired by link velocity…

Drip-feeding links are the ones that are inspired by optimal link velocity that should be maintained for SEO. These sort of services render automated programs to build backlinks to your site constantly over a predefined period.

The links built by these programs are often of low quality. It does increase the rankings of your blog, but it limits the extent to which your blog can grow forever! That hurts…

Drip-feeding link services are not recommended by me and are not suitable if you are trying to dominate Google SERPs in your niche.

How can you view the existing link velocity of your blog or site?

In the past, you may have adopted black hat link building strategies that have affected your link velocity adversely. To make sure that you are maintaining ideal link velocity, you may make use of a tool called Ahrefs.

Ahrefs has the largest backlinks database. It delivers the largest amount of backlinks that any tool can deliver.

You can also notice that the number of backlinks to my blog is unsteady. Most of these backlinks that are unsteady are nofollow. However, the number of referring domains have increased steadily over time. It's a good sign.

What about YOU?If you are delivering high-quality content along with some visual content, it helps you build backlinks constantly over time. If that is the case, link velocity is not the one that you need to worry about. Focusing on simple link building strategies like blog commenting, guest posting and forum marketing. Producing high-quality content maintains the optimal link building velocity automatically.

Let me know what are your views on link velocity and what sort of techniques you are using to determine the ideal link building velocity for your blog.

DISCLOSURE

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23 thoughts on “Link Velocity in SEO: Everything you should know”

I am glad to see you sharing Incredible information on Go Blogging tips. Link velocity really helps in determining the quality of a blog/website by Google. let me know, have you started backlink building for your blog? and when you started with it?

I did no link building. I started my link building campaign starting this new year. After the blog has turned 5 months old. You can see in the above screenshot of my Ahrefs account. They are the resultant of blog commenting, communities, infographics, pure natural and also relationship building.

Earlier THIS YEAR, I am doing a little of blogger outreach. Today is the first one. That means till now I've done only 1 blogger outreach effort with 100% conversion.

Hi Akshay Bro,
Thanks for such a great post. Link velocity is much important while you are running a long term blog. You have need to make equal balance in building backlinks.
As you describe in first pic (Red Flag) this will really very harmful for a long term blog except event blogs because event blogs require only two or 3 days ranking.
Thanks again clearing this concept with a great ways.
Good Luck.

i really liked this article soon i will be sharing it on my facebook profile.
You did with your level best and I advise you being my colleague to take every comment and suggestion especially the critical one very patiently and with open heart. When you try such strictly monitored topics you equally receive criticism so just receive it and take all the positive points from it.
thanking you
Keep up your good work!
Have a good day
Akshay Naik

You Explain Very Well about the Link velocity, The Thing you explained that If you are doing building more backlinks then Google will also Cache you, Manually Link Building Now a Days Looks Like a Black hat. Link Must have a natural.. I agree with you..

You Explain Very Well about the Link velocity, The Thing you explained that If you are doing building more backlinks then Google will also Cache you, Manually Link Building Now a Days Looks Like a Black hat. Link Must have a natural.. I agree with you..

About Akshay Hallur

Hi, I’m Akshay Hallur. The founder of this blog GoBloggingTips. I’m a professional full-time blogger, an internet marketer, and a trainer. I’m here to help bloggers like YOU to create an outstanding blog and earn money from it.